Marisol
by alliebamaaa
Summary: *Currently revised through Chapter 2!*Marisol Masterson is the daughter of Angelica Teach and Jack Sparrow, who was given up for adoption as an infant. Benjamin is Will Turner's cousin and Marisol's neighbor and best friend, abandoned as an infant and adopted by Will's mother's sister in Port Royal. They will do whatever it takes to reconcile their pasts and make their own futures.
1. Mi Preciosa

**(A/N) Hello there! Welcome to my newest story, "Marisol". Truthfully, I have written quite a bit of fan fiction, but I am afraid to publish it! This is my "baby" of 3 years and is currently my most worked-on piece. I am currently editing it so it matches more with the plot line of the latest movie, which I just saw today!**

 **You will find that this story includes a lot of Spanish intermingled with English. Most of the time, the Spanish will be in italics when intermingled with English. I will provide translations! (I took 5 years of Spanish in middle and high school and currently use it in my job now.) Please don't hesitate to correct my Spanish or my translations.**

 **Translations for this chapter:**

 **"Mamá está aquí, mi hijita.¨- Mama is here, my daughter. ("hija" is daughter, but "hijita" is a more affectionate name, like saying "my little daughter")**

 **"Mi preciosa"- my precious :)**

 **"señora"- "Mrs", or how you address a married woman**

The clouds were slowly moving over the small town of Port Royal as the sun began to set. Inside a small room, Angelica Teach sat with a pen and a quill, furiously writing, her face a mixture of concentration, sadness, and a bit of hope. She glanced out of the window of the inn for a moment. "I must hurry," she told herself as she wrote. She had an appointment to keep, and she could not dally on this letter for long.

"Mamamamamama!" a small voice cried out from next to her on the floor and she glanced down at the small baby girl who was grabbing the leg of the stool that Anglelica was sitting on with pudgy fingers covered in slobber. The girl's curly hair was matted to her forehead and her large, dark eyes shone with tears. Angelica's throat tightened and her heart constricted inside her chest as she reached down for the child.

"Shh...shh...Mamá está aquí, mi hijita," she comforted the child as she picked her up and hugged her to her chest. The child immediately relaxed, head resting against her mother's chest. Angelica's heart broke into pieces as she realized what she was about to do.

She knew it was the right thing to do as she was but 20 years old and unmarried, but that didn't make it any less difficult. She only wished that she and her child's father, the somewhat infamous pirate Jack Sparrow and a young man five years her senior, had not gone their separate ways before she could tell him she was with child. This man, with handsome good looks and a wild, adventurous spirit had swept her away from her life as a future nun and had shown her what it was like to be loved by a man, both in the physical and emotional aspect. He was the only man who could make her laugh and cry with one sentence. And now, she was alone, with a beautiful baby girl who was the spitting image of her, save for those mischievous eyes that mirrored her devil-may-care father's.

This child whom Angelica loved with all her heart would have to be given up so that both she and her daughter would have a better life. Working in the house of Annette Masterson was not a horrible thing. The woman had provided her with a job as a maid while she lived in a nearby inn. Angelica did not know much beyond what she knew of the Church and of the sea, but she knew this was not the life she was meant to lead. But the larger issue resided with the consequences of her sailing days with Jack. True, it had attracted the attention of her long-lost father, who she was to meet shortly, but it also had attracted the attention of the English _and_ Spanish law, as well. She had been on the run from the moment she and Jack had separated until her eighth month of pregnancy, when she decided to hide out in Port Royal. She began to work with the Mastersons, then, and had given birth shortly thereafter.

Her employer had become enamored with her daughter from the moment they had met, and as she was childless and at the age where it was becoming increasingly difficult to have children, Angelica knew that Mrs. Annette Masterson was the right woman to care for her child. Annette knew very few details of Angelica's situation, but had agreed to raise her daughter as her own.

" _Mi preciosa Marisol_ ," Angelica whispered in delicate Spanish as she continued to rock the child. This child was her life, but she knew that every minute that Marisol stayed with her was a minute that they were both in grave danger. Marisol would never have a normal life this way. She had hidden her for six months and with news of her father's arrival that evening, she told herself that this was a godsend. There would come no better time.

"It's time to go," she sighed, gently rubbing her daughter's back absentmindedly as tears began to roll down her cheeks. She paused momentarily to tuck the letter in the envelope entitled "To Marisol, with Love, from your Mother" and seal it. She then placed the letter in the bottom of a basket along with a list of desires for her daughter's upbringing (speaking Spanish and attending the Catholic Church were at the top of the list). On top of that she placed a pillow that she had sewn during her pregnancy from old clothes that was patched like a quilt. She then wrapped a now-sleeping Marisol in her in a blanket and held her even more tightly to her chest. It was time.

Angelica knocked on the door to the Masterson's large house, and Annette quickly opened the door to see Angelica, her cheeks tear-stained and her arms holding a small bundle.

"Come in!" she motioned with her hands for Angelica to come in quickly as thunder rumbled in the distance.

"I must go now, Señora Masterson. I must not stay any longer. It will become more difficult for me to leave the longer I stay," her voice wavered a bit before she gulped. "I have left a pillow for her that I made myself, as well as a letter that I do not want her to read until her 20th birthday, which is on the first of May." The woman nodded. "Also, I would like you to read my list of instructions regarding her care and her upbringing, please."

"Oh, Angelica, you have no idea what kind of gift you have given my Peter and I," Annette Masterson paused to wipe her own eyes. "Thank you so much. You are always welcome in our home whenever you'd like."

"Thank you, Señora. Now I must go. Thank you so much for doing this for me," Angelica's voice cracked and the two women embraced, tears in both their eyes for a few minutes. "Goodbye little one," Angelica spoke softly to her beautiful daughter and looked into her dark colored eyes one more time before pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I will always love you," She handed Marisol to Annette, the tears still rolling. "Goodbye," she stepped backwards and turned away.

"MAMA!" a voice called, but Angelica, a firm look on her face in spite of her trembling body, did not look back, wrapping her cloak around her as she shut the door.

That child was me.

I am Marisol. This is my story.

 **6/3/17 This first chapter has been edited! Those of you who read it before, thank you! I hope that it has improved.**

 **Next chapter focuses on Marisol, mainly.**

 **Also, please review if you have the time. :)**


	2. Someday

**(A/N) Translation:**

 **Ay, Diós mio- Oh my God**

 **Vas a meter en problemas uno de estos días- You're going to get in trouble one of these days.**

 _12 years later_

"Marisol!" a voice called. "It's time for you to practice the pianoforte."

"Yes ma'am!" I called back, slamming the book shut with a sigh before begrudgingly making my way to the parlor. It was a Saturday and I had planned on relaxing a bit with a good book and some tea. But alas, that was not to be. As I made my way to the parlor I could see my father coming down the stairwell, a book of his own in hand. I envied him at that moment. "Good morning, Father," I greeted him.

"Good morning my Angel," he responded affectionately before giving me a hug and a kiss on the top of my head. "Where are you headed on a fine Saturday morning such as this?" He started walking with me, putting one arm around my shoulders as I wrapped one of mine around his waist.

"I must go practice the pianoforte now, as are Mother's wishes," I sighed, barely containing the urge to roll my eyes. "Would you like to hear my piece, Father?" I asked.

"Why of course, my darling, I'd love to!" he smiled and soon I was playing my piece, though my mind was on the book I had left on my bed. After it was over I heard my father clapping and I smiled before getting up to give him a large hug. "I am so proud of you, Marisol. You are developing into quite the young lady," my father smiled brightly, "Now hurry on to your room before your mother notices you've stopped playing," he finished, whispering the last sentence.

"Yes sir," I whispered in return. I could barely contain my grin as I all but ran out of the room. He followed a few steps behind, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he hushed me.

"Move silently! Your mother has dangerously sharp hearing," he whispered.

Not two seconds later I heard a voice calling from downstairs. "Marisol! Peter! Where did you go? Why did you stop playing?"

Father and I giggled as we dashed up the stairs together. _Finally_ , I thought, _Back to my book._ I had just settled down when I heard a "Psst!" from outside and pebbles hitting the window. I groaned inwardly before opening the window. "Benjamin! Will you please stop throwing pebbles at my window? It is completely unnecessary. I'm no Capulet," I bat my eyelashes like the young ladies in my book did, no doubt.

"I'm sorry Marisol but I wanted to know if you wanted to come outside! I have something exciting to tell you! "

"Fine," I sighed, making my way (silently) downstairs and out of the door to go meet my best friend Benjamin Davis. Benjamin, like me, was adopted. His father used to be a merchant and once went to China. While there, one night, he found a young woman in her teens with a fearful look on her face holding something in her arms and shivering in an alleyway. He offered her his jacket but instead she thrust the baby (Benjamin) into his father's arms and took off without returning. Since his wife couldn't bear children, he considered this child a gift from God. He found a nursemaid for the journey to Port Royal, and there Benjamin was raised. When Benjamin was 9 his father died out at sea and he took up the blacksmith trade. He always smelled like sweat and metal but I found that smell oddly comforting.

"Guess what?" he asked me, his brown eyes dancing with excitement.

"What?" I replied, nonchalantly.

"Do you remember my cousin Will?" Benjamin's mother and Will's mother were sisters. Will's mother had passed away in England when Will was 12 and Benjamin was just 1, still en route to his new home with his adoptive father. Will soon after was sent on a ship headed here to Port Royal to stay with Benjamin's parents. Then there was the shipwreck that remained a mystery to us all, which he was lucky enough to survive. He eventually made it to Port Royal aboard a separate ship from England, on which the governor and his daughter came.

Soon, Will made it to shore, where Benjamin's mom took him in before her husband and newly adopted son arrived. Once that happened, Benjamin's mom was shocked, but so incredibly happy. Will and Ben had been like brothers ever since, even working alongside each other as blacksmith apprentices.

"Yes," I nodded. When Benjamin and I were younger, William would often let us watch him at his job (as long as we didn't get too close to the fire) and even watch him train with his swords. Our families were and still are good friends as well as neighbors. I missed him very much. The last time I saw him was on that day that he was to be married to Elizabeth Swann, the governor's daughter (We always teased him about liking her; I suppose she finally figured it out somehow!). It had been about three years ago, almost immediately following the death of Benjamin's father. He was thought to be dead, along with Elizabeth Swann.

"He's not dead! Well, that's what they say anyways. He's a pirate!"

"NO!" I gasped. "How do you know?"

"Rumors…you know. People say that he's just like his father," Benjamin said this quietly as we walked along the side of the cobblestone road to his house.

"They think his father was a pirate?" I gasped again. Would the shocking news ever end?

"Yes," Benjamin nodded. "That is because…well…he was. 'Bootstrap Bill' was what he was called, and he was an infamous pirate!"

"How do you know all these things, again?" I asked, suspicious.

"They're just rumors, ya know?" he shrugged. "Besides, Will was different when he came back after rescuing Miss Swann. He wouldn't talk to me about it and whenever I asked about any pirates he just kind of smiled but didn't say anything."

I paused for a minute. "But Benjamin, who told you about his father?"

"Well…see…" Benjamin shifted weight from one foot to the other.

"Benjamin…Please don't tell me you've been spending time in 'that' part of town!" I hit my face with my palm, shaking my head in exasperation. "That" part of town was where the bars were and where the poorest of the poor were. And thus, it was where most of the pirates hung around. It was dangerous to go near that part of town and we were never allowed to. I didn't need convincing. When the pirates had come and pillaged Port Royal, kidnapping Elizabeth Swann and laying waste to part of the town, I had become terrified of them. The death of the governor and the subsequent militarization of the city was downright frightening. It had been the darkest time of their lives. Benjamin was scarred from the whole experience.

In spite of this, Benjamin frequently broke this rule and continued to visit, for reasons beyond her understanding.

"Yes, I have. Please don't tell my mum. She'll have me head if she knew!" For effect Benjamin grabbed his throat dramatically.

"Fine, I won't tell," I promised. " _Ay, Diós mio, Ben. Vas a meter en problemas uno de estos días_ ," I muttered under my breath.

"You just insulted me, didn't you, Mari?" Benjamin folded his arms across his chest, one eyebrow raised in amusement.

"So what if I did? You need to understand that it is beyond dangerous to do what you're doing!" I exclaimed. There was a moment of silence.

"Marisol, can I ask you a question?" Ben began hesitantly.

"Sure," I sat down on the stairs in front of his house, brushing sand off my dress. Ben sat down next to me.

"What would you do if someone you were close to or related to was a pirate?"

"What do you mean, 'what would I do'?" I was confused.

"Well, Will was always like a big brother to me and almost like a father to me after my own father's death. This news that he is alive after all has really gotten to me. I…I want to find him."

"Ben, you can't!" I exclaimed, grabbing his hands firmly with my own, as if to prevent him from getting up and running to the next ship that left port. "You are needed here in Port Royal. Will would want you to ," I added in a more joking tone, "You can't go on an adventure without me." I nudged him lightly.

"You would want to sail?" Benjamin turned to look at me incredulously.

"Why not?" I shrugged. "Benjamin, you and I both know that I am not an Englishwoman like my mother. Like you, I'm adopted. I want to find my birth parents, and you know that my only clue is Spain, as my birth mother is Spanish. My mother also shared with me that my birth mother wanted me to speak Spanish, so that's why all my nannies and tutors are from Spain and speak to me in Spanish. My mother also told me that my birth mother decided to sail away from Port Royal after giving me up. Also, I do like having money, but sometimes it can be so constricting. I want to be free to do what I want, for a change!"

"I do understand what you're saying. I know I'll never find my birth mom, but I understand why you want to find yours. What about your birth father? I don't think you ever mentioned him before."

"I know nothing of him. My mother says that my birth mother never uttered a word of him to her directly or in her letter."

"Maybe he's a pirate!" Benjamin exclaimed, standing up and pantomiming a sword fight.

"Do not joke of such things!"I stood up and lightly Benjamin's arm. "My mother tells me that my birth mother was a pious Catholic. There's no way she would become involved with a pirate."

"You never know," Benjamin shrugged. "One of these days," Benjamin turned towards the sea, a serene smile on his face as he breathed in the salty air, "I will sail these seas and find my cousin. Hell, I might even sail to China, just to see it." He smiled, though his smile quickly disappeared. "My cousin…he's the only man in my family I have left."

"Just…wait a bit, will you?" I pleaded with him, standing next to him and wrapping one of my arms around his shoulders.

"I will."

Not two days later, however, Benjamin broke that promise.


	3. The Captain

**(A/N) Translations**

 ** _Madre de Diós-_** **Mother of God**

 ** _María, Madre de Diós, sigue conmiga ahora-_** **Mary, Mother of God, stay with me now.**

 ** _¡Me deja en paz hijo de puta!-_** **Leave me alone, son of a bitch!**

 _ **me llamo-**_

 **My name is**

 ** _Gracias-_** **Thank you**

 ** _¡Pendejo!-_** **Asshole!**

 _ **¡Cállate!-**_ **Shut up!**

Benjamin's mother came running to our doorstep, rapping on the door loudly while I was in the middle of a mathematics lesson. One of our servants answered the door and she ran past her shouting, "Help me, please!" Hearing his mother's voice, I ran down the stairs.

"Mrs. Davison, what is the matter?"

"It's Benjamin! Oh, Marisol, I cannot find him anywhere! I need your father's help to find him; I have no one else…" She started to sob.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Davison, but my father is not here. Perhaps I can help?" I suggested. I kept my voice calm for her sake, even though on the inside I was panicking just as much as his mother.

"Maybe you can. You know Benjamin, where do you think he may have gone off to?" She asked me.

"He's not at the blacksmith's, is he?" I inquired of her.

"No, I have already looked everywhere!" she exclaimed again, tears once again overtaking her. Suddenly, I remembered the conversation we had had a few days ago.

"Oh no…" I covered my mouth with my hand as realization dawned on me. " _Madre de Diós…_ "

"What is it? Do you know where he is?" his mother asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. Tell my mother when she returns from the market with Maricela that I'll be back before sundown and not to worry," I put my hand on her shoulder before running out behind my house to find my horse, Libertad. "Let's go, chica, ya!" and off we went.

Soon we were nearing the other side of town and I could see the pirates swaying in and out of the bars, looking haggard and very drunk and frankly very scary for a 12-year-old like me. I brushed my fear aside, knowing that I had to do whatever it took if I were to find my best friend. However, the further I trotted through that place the more uneasy I felt. I found a stable boy and gave him a few coins to care for my horse whilst I searched for Benjamin. I pulled my travel cloak around me as much as I could, fixing the hood upon my head as well. _Well, here goes nothing_ , I thought as I approached the first bar I saw. I opened the creaky door and walked inside and was instantly hit with a distinct waft of salt, sweat, and alcohol. " _María, Madre de Diós, sigue conmiga ahora_ ," I prayed, crossing myself. Before I could say, "Amen" I felt a hand grab my cloak.

"'ey lass, one more bottle o' rum if ye don't mind," he shoved his glass into my arms drunkenly before turning back to his friends. Scared, I hurriedly made my way to the barstool, where I put down the glass and pulled down my hood. I turned to the burly-looking man on my right. "Excuse me sir," I squeaked out, tapping him gently on the arm.

"Eh? Lass? Whaddya want?" one of his eyes was covered in an eyepatch.

"I need more rum…where can I find some?"

"Awful young to be drinking rum are we?" he sneered before glancing up and down my figure appreciatively. "Or maybe not," he chuckled. See, I had hit puberty a little early and was already starting to develop a more womanly figure and had started my monthly cycle just a few months previous. Apparently I looked older than my age. I gulped.

"Um…sir…please. The rum?" I pleaded with him, praying to the Virgin Mary that he would just tell me.

"Yeah yeah…hey bartender, howsabout fixing this lass up with some rum, eh?" the bartender didn't even question my age before filling up the glass with more rum and leaving me to carry it over to the man. I carefully looked around me as I started to walk towards the man who asked for the rum, scanning the crowd to see if I saw Benjamin's short dark hair among the many haggard heads of hair in the room. Unfortunately, I was distracted enough that I ran directly into someone and dropped all the rum. It spilled all over the man in front of me.

"HEY! WATCH WHERE YER GOING!" he shouted as he shoved me backwards without looking at me.

"I-I'm sorry," I apologized. He looked up at the sound of my girlish voice.

"Ey…you're an awful pretty lass," he leered at me. "Hey John, Adam! Git over here…we've got a pretty lass on our hands…." He grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him.

"Leave me alone, sir, please!" I begged. Soon, the men started trying to touch me. "Stop! Stop!" I begged them. It wasn't working. So, I tried another method. I fought back by kicking one in the groin.

" _¡Me deja en paz hijo de puta!_ " I shouted, using some swear words in there as I attempted to fight back, throwing punches and kicking even after they held me down. Suddenly, all three of the men were down on the ground and I looked up in amazement to see another pirate. He was wearing a vest and loose shirt and pants and had all sorts of weapons strapped to him. He had dreadlocks that reached past his shoulders and a bandana with beads and what looked to be some kind of long, ivory tusk-looking thing hanging from the top. He had a mustache and a small goatee that had two braids and beads on each braid. He was wearing a three-cornered hat, typical of many of the pirates. He was holding his sword in the air after apparently using the blunt end to knock out the three men.

"Well, that was easy," he shrugged. He then looked back down at the broken glasses, "So _that's_ why the rum's always gone," he muttered before looking up at me and I was surprised to see dark eyes emphasized by dark kohl looking directly into mine. He started for a second, his dark eyes becoming wider. "Eh, who be ye, love?"

"Um… _me llamo_ Marisol. _Gracias_ for saving me," I curtsied to him.

"Don't mention it," he grabbed my arm and started dragging me till I was outside of the bar.

"Hey!" I protested. "Let me go! HEY! I SAID LET ME GO! MY FATHER WON'T STAND FOR THIS!" he released me and I fell in a puddle. " _¡Pendejo!_ " I shouted. I heard his rough laughter as I attempted to stand.

He shook his head and tsked. "Lasses as young as you shouldn't be using such language."

I was taken aback momentarily. "You speak Spanish?"

"You learn a few things when you're a pirate," he smiled a toothy smile speckled with gold teeth as he examined his fingers. I looked at him for a minute till he added, turning to me, "Dated a Spanish girl once, wouldn't recommend it."

"I will keep that in mind," I responded sardonically, squeezing the water out of my dress.

"Hm," he agreed, a thoughtful look on his face. A few moments that expression remained, till it perked up so suddenly I was startled and jumped a little. "Well, lass, care to tell me what ye were doing in a place like that?"

"I'm looking for my friend, Benjamin."

"Well ye should be careful. Ye can't be more than 13 or so. There be pirates out there not as..uh..nice" he winced after saying the word, "as yours truly," he held out his arms and offered what I was sure was his trademark smile (or should I say, smirk). "Say, what does this friend of yours look like?"

"Well, he's my age and close to my height, and Chinese. Can't miss him, really."

"Sorry, love, I haven't seen a fellow like that around here. Well, I best be going. Nice chatting with you," he turned around, and in an instant I grabbed his shoulder. "Wait! Please help me find my friend…I'll pay you!"

"And what makes you think that I think that you have money?"

"I am the daughter of the current lieutenant governor. My name is Marisol Masterson."

"I thought all the higher ups were British folk, eh?" he questioned me, an eyebrow raised.

"Huh?"

"Well, you're Spanish, right?" he asked. "The Spanish don't normally have English fathers, ye know?"

"That's because I'm adopted. Now please, sir, I will reward you with the 30 pounds that are in this bag right here," I untied my pouch and held it up in the air. Jack stared at it as if in a trance. I quickly snatched it out of sight, holding it firmly behind my back. I could've sworn he made a whining sound when it disappeared from view."I can't navigate this area on my own and you're the only 'nice' pirate around," I gave him a smirk that I knew would rival his.

"Fine. I'll help. Ye better not go back on your word. Savvy?" He held out his dirty, grimy hand.

"Savvy," I agreed, still smirking and taking his hand. I then realized something. "I don't believe I've caught your name."

"I don't believe I gave it out," he countered. "The name's _Captain_ Jack Sparrow, love," he told me, emphasizing the "Captain" part of his name.

"You have your own ship?" I asked.

"Did," he said sadly so I decided to change the subject. Suddenly, I remembered something.

"Hey, have you ever come across a man named William Turner?" I asked. He paused, visibly startled then answered.

"Can't say I 'ave. Why?"

"My friend Benjamin is his cousin…well sort of. Benjamin's adopted, too, and his adoptive mom and Will's mom were sisters. They are like brothers…and ever since he heard that his cousin may still be alive, he's been determined to find him. His father died a long time ago, so you can only imagine how devastated he was when Will disappeared, supposedly dying the same way Ben's father died: at sea."

"Hm," the pirate murmured in agreement with that deep-in-thought expression.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Nothing, nothing, love. We will find yer jolly sailor bold or whatever," he waved his hands around and I noticed he had an absurd amount of rings on each hand.

I chuckled for a few moments. "So tell me about Will Turner," I said, changing the subject.

"He was a great pirate but a little crazy in love and…hey. Wait a minute," he narrowed his dark raccoon-like eyes at me.

"So you DO know him, yes?" I folded my arms across my chest, smirking.

"I don't know that what you said that is the truth is the truth. It is only part of the truth that may be a lie that-"

"Ok ok enough!" I waved my hands frantically, and then took a deep breath. "Why did you lie?" I asked.

"I am a pirate. I lie all the time," he shrugged as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "And you tricked me!"

"Sorry," I shrugged, clearly not sorry.

"Ye could be a pirate, lass, if ye keep this up," he wagged a finger at me somewhat drunkenly. "Gah, it's like I'm talking to another Angelica. Even looks like her, too," he muttered.

"Angelica?" I asked.

"The Spanish girl I dated. Like I said, wouldn't recommend it," he gently nudged me. "Ah, look, is that fellow your friend over there?" he asked. I looked to see Benjamin standing not 3 meters away.

"BENJAMIN!" I called. Seeing me, his face lit up and he ran over. He then saw Jack and his face became one of confusion. He stared from me to Jack then to me again as if to say, "How do you know this guy?" I just mouthed, "Later," to him.

"Well I uh…guess we should be leaving. Let's go," he grabbed me and started to pull me away before Jack said,

"Yer a cousin of Will Turner, eh?" he asked. Benjamin could only gape at him, his mouth wide open. "Ye should be proud. He was a great pirate. Too bad he's stuck on that ship for a while. Meh, could be worse," he shrugged. "I'll be seeing you later, Miss Marisol," he saluted lazily as I handed him his bag of money.

"Goodbye Mr. Sparrow, and thank you," I saluted back just as lazily before turning around.

"That's Captain Sparrow to you, love!" I heard a voice call back.

We walked to the stable boy to pay him and as we got on my horse I could hear Benjamin take in a breath like he was about to talk.

"Not one word, Benjamin. Not one word. All I can say is that you are in very VERY big trouble," I scolded him, much like a mother would a child.

"I was just trying to find out if-" Benjamin began from behind me.

"Benjamin! _¡Cállate!_ Not one more word!" I elbowed him.

In the end, Benjamin got spanked with a switch, and I had a stern talking-to.

After the incident, Benjamin did tell of how I had to be rescued from unsavory men to my dad. Let's just say I wasn't very happy with him for sharing that (I had told him on the way back). The rest, especially the part about meeting Jack Sparrow became a sworn secret between us, one that we would keep for a long time.

 **Next chapter will involve a time skip.**

 **Rate/Review!**


	4. Now and Then

**Translations:**

 ** _Feliz cumpleaños-_** **Happy Birthday**

 ** _Gracias, señora, por todo-_** **Thank you, ma'am (a way to address a married woman), for everything.**

 ** _De nada, Señorita Masterson. De nada-_** **You're welcome, Miss Masterson. You're welcome.**

 ** _Gracias-_** **Thank you**

 _8 years later…_

"…happy birthday to you!" Everyone clapped and cheered as I blew out the candle on the sugary cake. I was 20 years old now and had grown even more since that day into what my mother called a "lovely young woman".

" _Feliz cumpleaños_ , Marisol _,_ " my old nanny curtsied to me as I curtsied back.

 _"_ _Gracias, señora, por todo."_

 _"_ _De nada, Señorita Masterson._ _De nada."_

Suddenly I felt someone behind me tap me on the shoulder. I whirled around to greet this person. "Benjamin!" I cried with happiness when I recognized those beautiful tear-drop shaped brown eyes. The tears sprang to my own eyes and I could not resist wrapping my arms around him in a huge hug. Benjamin had been gone for almost a year on a trip to another island after his blacksmith master had passed away. In his last words to Benjamin he had stated that Benjamin to go and train under his best friend and fellow blacksmith on Saint Martin as there wasn't another in Port Royal that he felt was worthy to teach Benjamin. So he had, and had come back looking even better than ever.

He was very handsome, his dark, silky hair in a small ponytail resembling his cousin's and his dark brown eyes sparkling even more than they had when we were children. He had a small goatee that went from the bottom of his lip to his chin. He was a good 7-8 cm taller than me, with broader shoulders and more defined muscle in his arms. He definitely looked good, and somehow nothing like the skin-and-bones young man he was a year ago.

"I missed you," I whispered as I continued to hold him. Over the years our friendship continued to grow until one day I realized that I was falling for him. I knew that he also liked me as more than just a friend but lacked the courage to confess this to me or court me; he knew that as a person of lower status my father wouldn't allow it. So at that point we were in that awkward stage where we were no longer "just friends" but not officially courting.

"I missed you, too, Mari, but people are staring so you might want to let go," he whispered with his hushed baritone voice into my hair as he dropped his arms. I dropped mine as well, embarrassed. I glanced briefly at my father, who seemed to have a look of disapproval on his face.

"Sorry," I curtsied and he bowed. Our eyes met and I could still see that twinkle of mischief in his eye. _I hope that never goes away_ , I silently prayed.

We spent the rest of the party separate, talking to different people. But after everyone left, Benjamin and I took a walk to his house and sat on his steps, our longtime and still favorite place to sit and talk.

"…and so Master LeBeau told me that I am now a master blacksmith! If only Will were here…" he said sadly.

I smiled sadly, placing my hand on his shoulder. "Will would be proud of the man you have become," I assured him. After a few moments, I couldn't resist asking. "Speaking of Will, I thought you wanted to look for him. And go to China."

"I was, but…things change. The reality is that Will is probably dead. We haven't heard from him in years, Marisol."

"But the pirate said—"

"Pirates lie, Marisol. I've stopped deluding myself into thinking that I will ever find Will again."

"Maybe you're right," I sighed. "We should be more realistic. You are destined to be a master blacksmith and I the wife of some rich, pompous, spoiled man."

I felt his body visibly tense under my hand at the mention of me being a wife to someone else. "Have there been any suitors since your last letter?" he asked. Since I was 16 and came out into society suitors had come to call, but I continued to reject them, for none of them made me feel as Benjamin made me feel. I suspected that Father knew this, and would soon make me choose a rich suitor and settle down. Ben and I had kept in close contact the last year, faithfully writing each other back and forth.

"Yes, of course." I removed my hand from his shoulder and placed it in my own lap. "Two. I turned them down, naturally. I believe I'm running out of options. There are only so many 'acceptable' men in Port Royal right now." I said mockingly.

Benjamin smiled slightly, putting his hand on mine. "What about finding your parents? I know you still have the desire to find them."

I shrugged, defeated. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe I should just be content with knowing that my mother was Spanish and Catholic and loved me enough to give me to someone who could provide the things she couldn't. There's no way I'll be able to leave Port Royal, especially if father arranges a marriage, which is what I know it will come to."

"So you've given up, too?"

"Yup," a pause, and then, "Ben, what happened to us? We were so determined to sail those seas together and find your cousin and my parents all those years ago."

"We grew up," Benjamin said quietly, releasing my hand to wrap an arm around my shoulder as we watched the sun set.

"I wish we didn't have to," I murmured, leaning into him, my head on his shoulder. It felt like the most natural thing in the world.

"Agreed," I felt him nod.

"Miss Masterson, your mother wants to speak with you," a servant approached us.

" _Gracias,_ Maricela. I will be right behind you," I nodded to her, grabbing Ben's hand and squeezing it one last time before leaving.


	5. Revelations

When we got to the house I peeked into the library and saw that my mother had been crying. She was sitting in my old rocking chair in what used to be part of the nursery but had since been converted into the library. The rocking chair still sat in that room and I often enjoyed going there to read sometimes as opposed to my bedchambers. She was clutching a letter in her hands.

"Miss Marisol, Mistress Masterson," the servant announced my presence. I curtsied, but my mother did not return the gesture. Instead, she said, in a voice that sounded reluctant,

"Sit down, please." I sat down in a plusher chair and scooted over to sit beside my mother.

"What is it, Mother?" I asked, placing my hand on hers.

"Well, Marisol, it is no secret that you are adopted and that your birth mother was Spanish. But…she gave me this letter for you when you were brought to us along with the other letter with the list of instructions. You know about the latter, already. In that list of instructions, she also mentioned that I was not to give the other letter to you until your 20th birthday. It is your birthday, so…here," my mother shoved the letter in my hand.

"Mum," I took the letter and gently placed my other hand on hers, "why are you so upset?"

"Because I'm afraid you will no longer care for me after reading this," she choked out between sobs.

"Mum, nothing that this letter says will change the fact that you are always and will always be my mother, ok?" I looked at her.

She brushed the tears from her eyes quickly and pat my hand reassuringly. "I'll leave you to the letter," she sighed before standing up and leaving the room. I took a moment to look at the front of the letter. It read, "To Marisol with Love, from your Mother," in sloppy cursive handwriting. My heart began pounding in my ears when I realized that this letter may reveal all the answers I had been looking for about my mother and maybe even my father. Taking a deep breath of courage, I opened the letter.

 _My dearest, Marisol,_

 _Happy birthday! You are 20 years old now; I can hardly believe this day will one day come. As I write this I can hear you laughing that beautiful, bubbly laughter of yours. I look over into your deep brown eyes that are as dark as your father's. Your soft hair is a dark brown in color and curls a little on the ends. You are beautiful,_ mi hija de mi alma _and I wish with all my heart that I didn't have to give you up, but I have no way of providing for you. I want you to have a better life than I had. I grew up in Spain with_ mi mamà _, and she struggled to put food on the table for me. My father left my mother before I was even born; he did not even know about me. He is the most ruthless pirate around and the most feared of all time. His name is Edward Teach, or Blackbeard and I am hoping to find him someday._

Mi querida _Marisol, I only hope that one day you will meet your father, as well. I know you're wondering who he is, but at this present time it is very dangerous that you know his name. Just know that he, like my father, is a pirate, and also like my father, he doesn't know about your existence. He's a Jackass of a man but he treated me like a princess. Know that you were created out of love and not a one night stand, this I promise you. He made me feel special the whole time I knew him, like a Sparrow who could spread her wings and fly anywhere I wanted to go. I felt free with him. One day I hope you meet a man who makes you feel free to fly, or in my case, sail._

 _My daughter, you are but a baby, now; six months old as of November 1_ _st_ _in this year of our Lord 1728. I am no longer welcome at the convent where I was going to say my vows before your father showed up and swept me off my feet. Since your birth you and I have settled here in Port Royal. We live in an inn in Port Royal and during the day I do odd jobs around the inn and at Señora Masterson's home. She is to be your mother. She will treat you kindly and give you all of the things in this world I wish I could give you._

Oh, mi hijita,siempre te amaré más de todo. _I will always love you, Marisol, and I wish with all my heart that it didn't have to be this way, but it is. Never forget that I will always, always, love you with_ todo mi corazón.

 _Love, your mother,_

 _Angelica_

I sat there for a moment, taking this all in. I felt like I had finally been freed. Now I knew why I had felt such a strong pull to the sea! My mother had sailed and my father was a pirate. It was almost a relief to know where I came from. _Sea and sun_ was the literal translation of my name in Spanish, and now I understood why she named me Marisol. Tears sprang to my eyes when I realized just how much my mother loved me; enough to give me up so that I could have a better life. How sad she must've been. She sacrificed much so that I could be here. The romantic soul in me definitely took comfort in knowing that I wasn't the result of a drunken night in a bar or even worse, a rape, but of two people in love. I was angry, though, to hear about how my father left my mother and it broke my heart to hear of how her own father had left her before her birth. How lonely she must've been throughout her life! She could trust no man! At that moment I wished that I could run to her and embrace her. I also understood after reading the letter that she was 20 years old when I was born which was why she wanted me to read this letter when I turned 20.

Suddenly, it sunk in. _My father is a pirate._ I almost laughed at the cruel irony, considering the conversation Ben and I had shared when we were only 12. And my grandfather was the cruelest pirate of all time! I was shaking, wondering why I had to end up with a pirate as a father. That night I tossed and turned, wondering about what might have been and wondering more and more about my birth parents and if they were even still alive after all this time. I knew I needed to speak with Benjamin about this.

The next morning I ran down the worn path between our houses with the letter. Going back to our childhood days, I picked up a pebble and tossed it at his window. He opened it almost immediately, although a bit begrudgingly, "Marisol could you not do that? I thought were done doing childish things like this," he rubbed his eyes sleepily and yawned, stretching. I tried ignoring the fact that he was shirtless and, frankly, very attractive that way.

I shook my head of such thoughts. "Benjamin, this is important. My mother gave me a letter that my birth mother gave her, intending for me to read it on my 20th birthday. There are some things in this letter..." I looked away for a moment, unsure of how to continue. "Just, please come down," I pleaded. He nodded, and less than a minute later he was there on the front porch steps.

"What is it?" He immediately sat next to me, his hair still a mess as took the letter from my hands.

"Give me your ribbon," I sighed and, without looking, he handed it to me, his eyes totally fixated on the letter. I shook my head as I sat behind him, tying his unkempt hair back as he read. _Typical Benjamin_ , I thought, _so forgetful when his curiosity is piqued._

He made it to the end of the second paragraph before his eyes got huge. "You cannot be serious," he was gaping at the letter, continuing to read it, in awe. "Your father is really a pirate? And your grandfather is _Blackbeard_?"

"It's not something to be proud of," I snapped at him, yanking on his hair under the pretense of tightening the ribbon's hold. He winced as I moved to sit beside him.

"So, what now? Are you going to try and find your mother?"

"I don't know," I admitted, unable to meet his eyes. "I want to but it feels so wrong! She's given up so much for me to be here." He nodded in concession, glancing back down at the letter. "Wait a minute," his eyes narrowed. After scanning that paragraph again for a few minutes he gasped. "Marisol, do you see how these words are capitalized?"

"Which words?" I asked, leaning in to see. "'Jackass' and 'Sparrow'," I read aloud, "Why do you suppose those are capitalized?"

"I suppose it could be because they're proper nouns," Ben offered before nudging me, a mischievous grin on his face, "After all, it was you who taught me to read.

"'Jackass'...'Sparrow'...'Jackass'...'Sparrow'," I repeated the words over and over like a mantra as I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. "Proper nouns indicate that these are titles or names. But who has a name like Sparrow?" Then, the face of the pirate who had helped me eight years ago appeared in my mind. I remembered his dark eyes which looked so much like mine. I remembered him mentioning the name "Angelica", a Spanish girl he dated and my birth mother's name. Suddenly, I put the pieces together and I just about fainted as I suddenly gripped his arm. "Benjamin, do you remember that pirate we met all those years ago?"

"No," his jaw dropped in disbelief. "Is he-?"

"Yes. My father is Captain Jack Sparrow," I spoke slowly, in total shock. It took a moment before it all sunk in and I sort of laughed. "I met my father all those years back and I didn't even know it." My laughter turned into silent tears. "Ben….I met my father and I didn't even know he was my father. If I had but known back then then I would have—"

"Would have what? Told him?" Ben scoffed. "He's a pirate, Mari, he probably wouldn't believe you and even if he did, he would run the other direction."

I was suddenly angry at Ben and stood up to face him indignantly. "You don't know that! What do you know? It's not like you'll ever even know your real parents anyway!" I realized I had said too much and I quickly covered my mouth. " _Diós,_ Ben, I didn't mean-I'm so sorry."

Ben's face was full of anger and hurt. "Don't even start."

"But Ben, I-"

"Goodbye, Marisol," he said softly, handing me the letter, before turning around and walking inside, slamming the door shut behind him, leaving me alone with this new revelation and with so many confusing thoughts.

 **Read and review! Please and thank you!**

 **This is where I have had to do a** ** _lot_** **of editing, so the newer chapters will be slower coming out.**


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